Stringed musical instrument



March 11, 1943K J. J. MooR' 2,234,874

STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 23, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT igan Application August 23, 1940, Serial No. 353,950

18 Claims.

This invention relates to musical instruments, and has special reference to a guitar of the type commonly called a steel guitar.

One important object of the invention is to 5 provide a guitar of this character wherein the strings pertaining to a definite chord may be simultaneously changed in pitch by the depression of a pedal.

A second important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein with six pedals no less than fifteen chords may be obtained.

A third important object of the invention is to provide an arrangement in such a guitar whereby all of the chords are produced on open strings. the key of said chords being varied in the conventional manner with the steel or bar.

A fourth important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character tuned to what is known as a seventh tuning, by means of the conventional tuning keys, it being preferable to use a D seventh tuning instead of the ordinary E seventh tuning, although rthis may be used if preferred.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter apparent, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

lIn the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and- Figure 1 illustrates a plan View of the instrument;

Figure 2 illustrates an enlarged plan view of the pedal group used therein;

Figure 3 illustrates a side elevation of such 40 pedal group with the pedals raised;

Figure 4 illustrates a side elevation of the complete instrument;

Figure 5 illustrates a detailed section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 with one of the pedals shown in raised position in dotted lines and in depressed position in full lines;

Figure 6 illustrates an enlarged plan view of what may be termed the tuning box;

Figure 7 illustrates a section on the line 'I-l of Fig. 6;

Figure 8 illustrates a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 6;

Figure 9 illustrates a section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 6 showing the parts illustrated as in the position when a pedal has been depressed;

(Cl. Sli-312) Figure 10 illustrates a. perspective view of one of the yokes used herein;

Figure 11 illustrates a perspective view of one of the levers used herein;

Figure l2 illustrates a perspective view of another of said levers; and

Figure 13 illustrates a perspective view of a guide post for supporting the spring to return the levers.

In carrying out the objects of this invention, there is provided a body III, preferably in the form of a hard wood plank or board table, approximately two inches thick and 40 inches long, and about 8 inches wide. This board table is supported at what may be termed the key end by a leg II and at the tuning end by a pair of divergng legs I2 so that the structure is sup. ported as on a tripod. Between the legs I2 there is located a pedal frame comprising a platform I3 supported at its rear portion by a. member I4 so that the platform is inclined from the rear to the front downwardly. Adjacent the rear of the platform is a pair of bearing members I5 which support a shaft I6 whereon is mounted a series of vsix pedals numbered respectively Il, I8, I9, 20, 2|, and 22. lAn inverted U-shaped yoke 23 has its ends attached to the board I3 and its central portion extends across the board in spaced relation to the shaft I6 and over the pedals to form a stop, limiting their upward movement. The ends of Bowden wire cables 24 are secured to the pedals and pass through guides 25 on the stop.

Each end of the board I0 is beveled and at the end adjacent the pedal frame there is mounted a lever box which consists of a base member 26, from the front edge of which rises a series of uprights 2l, and through the top of these uprights extends a shaft 28. On this shaft 28 are pivoted the yokes 29, 30, 3I, 32, 33 and 34, these yokes being of gradually decreasing width so that they nest, one within the other. Each of these yokes is connected by a Bowden wire cable to a respective pedal I1 so that when the pedal is degressed the yokes are correspondingly depressed, that is to say, when pedal I1 is depressed, yoke 29 is depressed and so forth. Mounted on the shaft 28 are ve bell crank levers 35, the shaft passing through an opening 36 at the angle of each of these levers. One arm of each lever 35 extends rearwardly from the shaft 28 to pass beneath the cross bars of the yokes and is urged upwardly by a spring 3l to engage against a. stop bar 38 supported from the plate 26. The other arm of each lever 35 depends at horizontal arms extending beneath the cross bars of the yokes and have their forward arm extending downwardly and providedatits'lower end with an Aopening 32 pivoting* on'v the Ishaft or bar 4i). Above the opening 42 one or more openings 43 is provided for securing one of the wires f or strings S. The cross barsof the yokes are provided with a series of tuning screws lli which are adapted to engage the longerarms'of the levers 35 and lil to depress the same randthese are positioned and are in number different for the different yokes, for purposes which will here- Y inafter be understood. I

A bridge 45 is provided just forwardly of the plate 26, and adjacent the other end of the base or board l0 is a bridge S46 over which the strings S pass to the usual tuning screws lil. f

For the purposes of explaining the operation 0f the device, let it be supposed. that the Ieight strings common to 'guitars ofthis type have been tuned toa D seventh tuning. Ifthe pedal 22 be depressed, then the yoke 3d will. likewise lbe depressed. There are four screws lil on that yoke and these screws are positioned over the three D stringlevers and the C string lever, as shown in Fig. 6. The depression ofthefirst D string lever will cause tightening of that lstringA while the depression of 'the other two will cause slackening or increased tension'of that string.' Likewise, the

C string lever will move to reduce the tension on the C string. By adjustment of the screws M, these increases and reductions of tension are so regulated as to change the strings so that in open use they will read Dt, A, Ft, Db; B, A, Ft, Db. With this as an example, attention is invited to the following table showing the effect of the de-` pression ofthe several pedals:

string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported to effect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, and a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached. L. v f

2. In a stringedmusical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and loperated by said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression` of the pedals and supported to effect increase ofy tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to rey lax tension of the strings to which they are attached, and means carried by the yokes and engaging said levers to regulatethe' extent o'f movements of said levers. 'Y

3. In a stringed' musical instrument,` 'a pedal bank, a seriesof tiltabl 'yokes'each operatively connectedto a pedal of said'bank, a seriesof string vtensioning levers ,'extending beneath and operated by saidv yokesY and engaging' said yokes upon Adepression of the. pedals and supportedJ to' eiectincrease of tension. inthe strings to which they are attached; a second :series of string tensioning levers extending Abeneath and operated by and engagingsaid yokesand supported to relax tensionfof the strings to which they are attached, and screws projecting through saidA yokes and lengaging said levers toregula't'e the extent of movement of the latter,` j

4. In a'stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes4 each operatively connectedto a lpedal of said'bankga series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes and` engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported'to It ,will be noted'ifromthe. above that with` the six pedals, iifteen chordscanbe formed 'on open strings. It is obvious thatbyxvarying the tuningl of the strings ofthe screws l1 and varying the positions lof the screws M the'same device may be used in a wide'variety'of instruments such' as guitars, banjos, mandolins and the like, and while a guitar has been here described specifically, itis to be understood that the invention is not limited to the use of the device in a guitar but the same may be applied to any suitable musical instrument.

I claim:

efect increase vof tension in the strings to which they are attached, and a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath-androperated -by and engaging saidyokes and supported to relax tension ofj the strings to which they are attached, said lyokes being mounted on a com# mon pivotal axis and in nested relation,

' 5. In a stringed musicalfinstrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected -to a-pedal of said bank,'a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath'a'nd operatedby said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported to:

fin

by andv engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, and means carried by the yokes and engaging said levers to regulate the extent of movements of said levers, said yokes being mounted on a common pivotal axis and in nested relation.

6. In a stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported to effect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, and screws projecting through said yokes and engaging said levers to regulate the extent of movement of the latter, said yokes being mounted on a common pivotal axis and in nested relation.

7. In a stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported to effect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, an elongated base member, means supporting said yokes and levers at one end of said base member, and string tuning screws at the other end of said base member.

8. In a stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported to effect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, means carried by the yokes and engaging said levers to regulate the extent of movements of said levers, an elongated base member, means supporting said yokes and levers at one end of said base member, and string tuning screws at the other end of said base member.

9. In a stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported to effect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, screws projecting through said yokes and engaging said levers to regulate the extent of movement of the latter, an elongated base member, means supporting said yokes and levers at one end of said base member, and string tuning screws at the other end of said base member.

10. In a .stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected t0 a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported to eifect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensining levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, said yokes being mounted on a common pivotal axis and in nested relation, an elongated base member, means supporting said yokes and levers at one end of said base member, and string tuning screws at the other end of said base member.

11. In a stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported to eiect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, means carried by the yokes and engaging said levers to regulate the extent of movements of said levers, said yokes being mounted on a common pivotal axis and in nested relation, an elongated base member, means supporting said yokes and levers at one end of said base member, and string tuning screws at the other end of said base member.

12. In a stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected to a` pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported to eiect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, screws projecting through said yokes and engaging said levers to regulate the extent of movement of the latter, said yokes being mounted on a common pivotal axis and in nested relation, an elongated base member, means supporting said yokes and levers at one end of said base member, and string tuning screws at the other end of said base member.

13. In a stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by `said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported to effect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, and a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, said series of levers being bell crank levers each having one arm in engagement with the yokes, the rst series being pivoted at their angles and having string connections at the ends of their other arms and the second series being pivoted at the ends of their remaining arms and having string connections between their angles and pivots.

14. In a stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes andvengaging said yokes upon depression ofv the rpedals and supported to effect increase of tension inthe strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, and means carried by the yokes and engaging said levers to regulate the extent of movements of said levers, said series of vlevers being bell crank levers each having one arm in engagement with the yokes, the first series being pivoted at their angles and having string connections kat the ends of their other arms and the second series being pivoted at the ends of their remaining arms and having string connections between their angles and pivots.4

15. In a. stringed musical instrument, apedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes eachoperatively connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes vand engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported'to effect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, and screws projecting through said yokes and engaging said levers to regulate the'extent of movement of the latter, said series of levers being bell crank levers each having one arm in engagement with the yokes, the first series being pivoted at their angles and having string .connections at the ends of their other arms and the second series being pivoted at the ends of their remaining arms and having string connections between their angles and pivots. i

16. In a stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extendingbeneath and operated by said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedalsvr and supportedk to eiTect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string 'ten'- sioning levers extending beneath and operated-by and engaging said yokes and supported to'relax tension of the strings to which they are attached; an elongated base member, means' vsupporting said yokes and levers at one end of' said'base member, and string tuning screws 'at'the Aother end of said base member, said series ofY levers being bell crank levers each having one arm in engagement with the yokes, the'rst series 'being pivote'd at their vangl'esand Vhaving string connections at the ends of their other arms and the second series being pivoted at the ends of 'their remaining arms and having string connections betweenA their angles and pivots.v

y17`.-In a stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of tiltable yokes each operatively 'connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes land engaging said yokes upc-n depression of the pedals and supported to effect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are attached, 'means carried by the yokes and engaging said levers to regulate the extent of movements of said levers, an elongated base member, means supporting said yokes and levers at one end of said base member, and string tuning screws at the other end of said base member,said series of levers being bell crank levers each having one arm in engagement with the yokes, the first series being pivoted at their angles and having string connections at the ends of their other arms and the second series being pivoted at the ends of their remaining arms and having string connections between their angles and pivots.

18. In a stringed musical instrument, a pedal bank, a series of titable yokes each operatively connected to a pedal of said bank, a series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by said yokes and engaging said yokes upon depression of the pedals and supported to eiect increase of tension in the strings to which they are attached, a second series of string tensioning levers extending beneath and operated by and engaging said yokes and supported to relax tension of the strings to which they are f having string connections at the ends of their other arms and the second series being pivoted at the ends'of their remaining arms and having string connections between their angles and pivots.

JOHN J. MOORE. 

